You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever (Ch. 58)-Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Chapter 7
"I forgot she was supposed to show up," Jareth muttered.
Sarah was starting to feel a little panicked but a morbid fascination and her thrice damned curiosity was getting the better of her until she really wanted to go meet this person. There was also the feeling that the Winter Queen was rather familiar from the glimpse Sarah had gotten of her. Titania and Oberon were quickly checking each other over as they prepared to go greet Mab. Zelda had already disappeared and, looking around for her, Sarah spotted her and all Jareth's other siblings making their way to the dais to take their seats.
"What do you mean you forgot?"
Jareth wasn't entirely sure who had asked but he answered anyway, "I just forgot."
"Are you going to come up there with us, Jareth?" Oberon asked.
"Do I have to?"
His parents paused as they sent a calculating look towards their son and then slid one to Sarah. Jareth had already claimed the Right of Heir to dance behind his parents during the first dance that night so it would be rude if he didn't go to the dais. But Mab didn't know he'd claimed the dance though that didn't mean there wasn't the possibility she wouldn't find out. So it was probably best that Jareth continue to act as High Crown Prince; at least for tonight.
"Yes you do," Titania said in a clipped tone, "Sarah can take care of herself, not to mention all the people here who support her and will willingly keep an eye on her while you're doing your duties."
"You make it sound like I need a babysitter to protect me from everyone," Sarah said while helping to straighten out Jareth's clothes as she raised an eyebrow at the High Queen. Titania froze as she saw this.
'For a moment she looked like…but that's impossible!' Shaking her head she pinned Sarah with a wry look.
"I never said it was to protect you. It's to protect everybody else."
Oberon laughed at Sarah's incredulous expression while Jareth quickly turned his laugh into a cough.
"Well let's go!" Titania said briskly as she started herding her mate and son before her, "We do not need to keep Mab waiting."
Sarah watched them go feeling a little miffed at being left out since she really wanted to meet the Winter Queen. She moved after them for a little ways before moving so that she would have a clear view of what was going on; even if she couldn't hear everything that was being said. Jareth was seated on his father's right in a seat he hadn't sat in in a very long time. The five elder of his younger siblings were thankfully on the other side of his mother while he was seated next to the four younger ones. Link was relaxed in his seat and giving Jareth a big smile. His brother talked only a little, as he was very shy so the little he did say, Jareth took to heart.
"I like her," Link murmured as they watched Mab come closer, "And she must really like you since she's putting herself out there to help make your job a little easier and less stressful."
"Indeed. I could hardly believe it when Rin told me what Sarah was planning," Jareth said back; equally quiet, "She hasn't told me all of the details about this plan of hers, though. When is this great event supposed to take place?"
"In two weeks. We wanted to do it tonight right as the ball was ending but she vetoed us for a couple reasons," Link gulped as Mab's eyes raked over him before moving on. She was taking her sweet time, "One was that you would need time to prepare to have so many children running around your castle. Another was that she didn't want us to miss Christmas with our family, regardless of our bad family members, because she was sure that there were some good family members we would want to spend time with."
"Sarah is very wise."
"No, just practical."
"Queen Mab," Oberon said; getting his two son's attention, "It's good to see you again. It's been a long time since you last came to one of our gatherings. You need to tell us what was so interesting that kept you away so long."
"Indeed, yes," Titania said and then she laughed before making her way down the steps to hug her long time friend, "I want you to tell me all about what you've been up to over the last few years."
Jareth noticed that the Winter Queen was a little thinner than the last time he'd seen her and that there appeared to be circles under her eyes as if she hadn't been sleeping. Other than that she looked well. While his mother was light, Queen Mab was dark. Her long black hair was pinned up in an elaborate up do with tendrils falling to frame a full heart shaped face. Emerald eyes, so deep they were almost black, glinted with so many emotions that Jareth felt dizzy trying to name them all. An elegant, yet simple, gown of deep purple fell about her frame in smooth lines and her skirts rustled as she walked. Amethysts glinted at her throat, wrists, fingers, and on the pins in her hair. She smiled widely at him, showing pointed teeth, and he nodded his head back at her. Mab looked amused at this display but turned away without comment.
"Yes it has been a long time, hasn't it," She said in a throaty voice, "I did not really realize how long it's been since last I saw you. You're looking well, Titania."
"Yes well, I suppose that having my eldest finally interested in someone would do that."
"Oh?" Mab said; her interest peeked, "Who is it?"
"Do you remember that girl that beat Jareth's Labyrinth about ten years back?"
Your Labyrinth? I am nobody's possession, thank you!
'Calm down Rin. You know she didn't mean it that way.'
I know. She grumbled.
'Just listen and we might learn something interesting.'
"I'm a bit secluded Titania. I haven't heard anything like that."
"Not to mention you were in the Aboveground for how long? What was so interesting that you were there for so long?"
Aboveground? Why was Mab Aboveground for that long?
'I don't know but I'm suddenly just as interested as my mother.'
Titania was honestly worried about her friend and, as she studied her closely, she noticed the lines of fatigue Mab was able to hide from everyone except her; she really wanted to know what had her friend so depressed. The High Queen waved her hand, letting everyone know that they could all go back to what they were doing; which they did with great relief. Jareth started to leave, along with his other siblings, but she motioned for him to stay. Oberon also tried to sneak off but Titania shot him a look and he sat back down. Titania led her friend up to the dais, waved her hands, at which point there was a small of chairs where they could sit and talk, and then sat Mab in one of the chairs.
"Now," She said once she was seated, "You, Jareth, are going to tell me everything about the Lady of the Labyrinth, what you did to have her brought to your attention, and what happened during her run. I want to know everything and I will know if you've left something that I think I need to know out. I've already got some of this story so now all I need is your part in it. Now start talking."
Jareth cringed at the tone in his mother's voice but he knew that he wasn't going to get out of this one. He remembered the many times that his mother had done this very thing: sit him down and make him confess to any wrongdoings he might have done. The problem was that while she may not have known everything all the time she did know most everything he'd done some of the time.
And it was impossible to tell what situation was what. She often went to the people who'd seen him do something wrong and got their stories before she even came after him. Jareth also learned that it wasn't a good idea to try to hide something from her and the few times he'd tried had not ended well for him. That didn't mean he wasn't going to do his best to wheedle out of having this talk right now since they were in the middle of the Christmas Ball.
"Mother don't you think we should have this discussion some other time. We are in the middle of the Christmas Ball, after all." Jareth realized after she let him finish talking that he might as well not have wasted his breath. She was giving him that look that always made him want to run and hide as a child.
"No," She said shortly, "We are having this talk now while I have you here. Start with the girl's run as I'm sure we would all like to know the actual details of that and then we can let Mab mingle while you finish telling me what I want to know. Start talking."
Oberon gave his son a sympathetic look. This was partially his fault since when he'd realized exactly who Jareth had brought with him, he thought it was best to inform Titania about everything he'd been keeping from her about their son. To say she hadn't taken it well would be an understatement. She'd yelled and screamed and raged at him until finally collapsing on the couch in the room where he'd taken her to let her vent after he'd told her during their dance. Oberon didn't think he'd ever heard "How dare you?" or "How could you?" so many times strung together.
Titania had chanted them over and over before sobbing that this was all her fault. It had taken him a little bit to get her calmed down but when she finally did, she went and got Soren and his mate, Elizabeth, to talk to them. He was thankful that after she found out most of the circumstances around Jareth that her view on Sarah had changed. Oberon just hadn't expected her to confront Jareth now. He also knew he wasn't going to get away from this talk any more than Jareth was.
Jareth conceded defeat, "Very well. I will begin with the part where Sarah wished her brother Toby away."
Mab twitched a little at his statement but soon became entranced in the story he told. Titania and Oberon also looked intrigued at the tale and they all agreed, later, that this one was much more interesting than all the rumors of the girl's run that had been going around. Jareth explained that goblins tended to exaggerate when telling a story. So with each new telling, Sarah's exploits in his Labyrinth had gotten bigger and bigger until she was able to grow until she was ten stories tall and breathe fire.
Jareth wasn't happy at having to tell his parents everything he'd done as some of his behavior had been downright deplorable. His parents let him know that they didn't approve with the disapproving looks they were giving him. Mab just laughed at these parts and made the comment that they'd make him into an Unseely Sidhe yet. Titania just sent her a baleful look at that and turned back to Jareth; motioning for him to continue. Telling Soren and Lizzie what he had done wasn't as hard because he knew they had seen the worst his temper and pride had to offer but he had always tried his best to live up to his parent' expectations and having them find out that he'd acted any other way made him feel extremely guilty.
Titania felt a little dismayed at the lengths her son had gone to to try to get this girl to stay with him. He must have really had it bad by the time Sarah had gotten to the point of wishing her brother away. Titania suddenly wished he would hurry up with this telling so she could find out how Sarah had come to his attention. Oberon cringed when Jareth got to the part with the cleaners as he himself had also had a run in with them the one time he'd spent thirteen days within the Labyrinth's corridors. Jareth had been really mad at him and Titania at the time though he couldn't remember why just then.
Sarah had seen Mab and Titania's greeting but she couldn't see what the Winter Queen looked like from where she stood. She waited patiently for them to get done and sighed in relief when Titania motioned for everyone to go about their business but frowned when Jareth's mother had motioned for him and his father to stay. Resignation set in as she realized that they were probably going to be a while so Sarah went in search of Jareth's siblings to pass the time until they were done talking. It took her a while to make her way to where they were standing as people kept stopping her to talk; which took anywhere from a few exchanged words to several minutes. The longest conversation took fifteen. By the time she got to them, she was a little cranky as she was hungry and it looked like Jareth was in for the long haul.
"What's wrong, Sarah?" Kate asked, "You look upset."
"I'm just hungry," Sarah replied.
Understanding lit her face, "And you can't get anything unless Jareth gives it to you so he can make sure it hasn't been tampered with."
Sarah nodded miserably but Kate laughed, "You know, since he's your date for the night, you can go up there and request that he keep you company for a bit."
"They won't get mad?"
"They shouldn't. You need your date and they're keeping him from you. Just make sure you're polite and watch what you say as Winter's up there," Kate warned.
Sarah nodded and began to make her way to where Jareth and his parents were but it took her another twenty minutes of inane conversation before she could reach them. She didn't notice that Soren, Lizzie, Dagon, and Roald had begun running interference so that she could make it there faster. Kate had warned them Sarah was hungry and Lizzie said that it wasn't a good idea to let Sarah be hungry any longer than necessary as she tended to get quite snappy. Sarah finally made it to the foot of the dais but a sudden case of nerves made her drop her head and tread extra carefully in asking for Jareth to accompany her for a bit.
"Excuse me, Highness, but I would like to request some time with my escort," Sarah almost whispered, "I haven't had the chance to see him very much tonight and I need to speak to him."
Titania and Oberon looked a little taken aback at her demeanor as they had yet to see her act like this. The two had begun to wonder if the girl knew how to actually be quiet and demure. Quite frankly, this scared them more than her unleashing her temper and they decided, instantly, that this wasn't Sarah. Jareth just sighed in relief as this would give him a brief reprieve before he had to get into the really unpleasant parts of Sarah's run.
"I'm going to assume that this would be the runner you were referring to earlier," Mab said in a disinterested voice. She was becoming fatigued with sitting in one place and, whether it was the infamous Sarah who had beat the Labyrinth or not that was asking, she didn't want to sit here any longer than necessary.
Careful. It looks like Mab's in a foul mood.
'Hopefully I can get out of here without getting frozen.'
Hopefully.
Sarah wasn't really paying attention to what Rin was saying. Mab's voice sounded very familiar and she felt her curiosity get the better of her (What was that about curiosity and cats? Rin asked in amusement. Sarah just ignored her). Lifting her head, she gave a small sigh of disappointment as she realized Mab's back was to her. Titania's expression caught her attention and she wondered why the Queen looked so shocked but just figured that by raising her head Sarah must have been some breech in protocol. Sarah turned as Jareth came down the steps towards her and the thankful look on his face made her smile. Titania's strange reaction was quite forgotten.
"What is it you need, Precious?"
"I'm hungry," Sarah pouted, "And I was told that I need my date with me before I can get anything."
Jareth gave a small laugh before giving her an apologetic look, "I'm sorry, Love. I seem to forget that you're human when you display your temper the way you did earlier."
"It's alright," She reassured him as they made their way towards the food table, "Just get me a plate and you're forgiven."
Jareth laughed again as they made their way down the table, talking and laughing as they filled their plates. They stood together in a corner with Sarah eating while Jareth spent his time staring at her. Titania watched as her son leaned down to whisper in Sarah's ear again and Sarah blushed before laughing and reaching up to whisper in his. When Sarah finished her plate, Jareth handed it off to a passing servant and handed her his own barely touched one. Oberon noticed his mate watching the couple and he smiled gently at her content expression before taking her hand and raising it to his lips. Mab's lips curled up at this display but she didn't say anything. She knew what it was like to feel the way they did.
Jareth and Sarah were having a good time with each other but a servant came to tell them that his parents needed him again. Sarah sighed but nodded her understanding, "Go on. I'll be fine. I need to start imprinting my impressions of the room and people in my mind if I'm going to paint them, after all. This'll give me the time to do that while you have to entertain your parents and Winter."
"I'll do my best to be quick."
"I'll be fine. Now scoot before they send another servant."
Jareth smiled as he ran his hand along her cheek and Sarah leaned into the caress. He quickly made his way back to the dais as he wanted to get this over with so that he could dance with Sarah again. Quickly sitting down, he immediately launched back into the story where he'd left off, much to Mab's pleasure. She was starting to get bored. Jareth quickly finished everything about Sarah's run and ending as he sat outside her window and watching the party. Titania gave him a look that said she knew that wasn't the end of it but he cut his eyes towards Mab and she dropped it. He didn't want Mab to be around when he got to the next part. Mab stood at the conclusion of the story.
"This Sarah sounds quite interesting," She said in a bored tone, "I'll have to meet her sometime."
Jareth watched Mab walk off with a sigh of relief but tensed again as she walked right behind Sarah, who whirled and narrowed her eyes at the Winter Queen's back. Sarah turned and gave him an uncertain look before going back to what she'd been doing. He turned back to his parents and finished out what he hadn't wanted Mab to hear. His mother gave a small sob but he couldn't find it in himself to care about the pain he was causing her as it was partially her fault. Her constant pushing had caused him to act sooner than he should have and he wanted her to understand at least a part of the pain he'd felt.
Ah. There's the cruelty I know.
'I have nothing to say to that.'
Of course not.
"So how did all of this start?" Oberon asked.
"I was flying Above, one of the few flights I had managed to take in centuries, when I came across a young girl who was crying in the middle of the woods in a park close to a human settlement. I lighted down to try to see what was wrong when she saw me. Something in her must have recognized…something in me because she looked up at me and said, 'Please help me! My mommy fell and hurt her foot and she told me to go find my daddy but I got lost. Please can you help me?'"
Jareth paused and smiled softly at the memory. His parents were a little unsure what to think of such a meeting. They had been expecting something more than he'd just come across her and she'd asked for help but Jareth was continuing so they leaned forward eagerly, "I remembered that I'd flown past a man who had obviously been searching for something and I began leading the girl to a halfway point between her two parents. She could hear her father calling and called back to him. He eventually found her and she told him what had happened at which point, they began calling for her mother. She in turn, heard them and called back until they found her. I left after that but I began to go back to look for her and watch her. Sometimes she saw me, sometimes she didn't but I grew to care deeply for this innocent child who spent so much time in that park playing with her mother and I…,"
Jareth paused and hesitated but continued.
But what no one knew, was that the king had fallen in love with the girl and had given her certain powers…
"Oh Jareth you didn't," Titania said; shocked.
"I gave her the power to have her wishes granted if she called on me," he said quietly, "But after her time in the Labyrinth she stopped wishing and began doing. She no longer needed me."
Jareth kept telling them everything and the longer he talked, the better he felt. The shadows began to fall away and the fact that Sarah was there with him began to finally sink into his mind. Warmth suffused his being and Jareth felt himself glowing in happiness. Titania watched as her son relaxed and the years of stress and worry begin to fall away to reveal the man he used to be. Oberon felt the room lighten in the face of his son's happiness and contentment and he watched Sarah turn towards them and smile at his son in happiness.
Sarah felt a quiet contentment and joy radiating from Jareth and she turned to smile at him. She'd known he needed to talk about everything to someone. That was why she had encourages him to stay with his parents while they were eating together. Jareth said he felt guilty for leaving her alone all night but she told him that as he was the High Prince he couldn't really get out of this; he had conceded that she had a point. Turning back to where she'd last seen Lizzie, she continued to make her way towards her friend. Sarah felt the need to have some girl time in the middle of all this and she wanted to confide in someone about the feelings she kept getting from Mab.
"Hello Sarah. What are you doing coming to see me?" Lizzie asked as Sarah drew near.
"I wanted someone familiar to talk to," Sarah laughed; giving Lizzie a hug. She was beginning to droop after all the excitement of the evening and avoiding Mab at every turn like Rin wanted her to, "I'm starting to get tired. You people forget that I'm just a lowly human who actually has to sleep every once in a while."
"Do you want us to take you back?" Lizzie asked worriedly. Sarah was right when she'd said that they tended to forget she was human and she didn't think Jareth would thank them for letting her collapse, "I can get Soren over here in an instant."
"No," Sarah laughed, "I was just teasing you. I actually feel really energized, which is new for me, and I don't think I could fall asleep right now if I tried. No, I actually wanted to talk to you about some vibes I've been getting from Winter."
"What do you mean?" Lizzie asked quietly, "It's nothing bad is it?"
"No but that's what worries me. I wouldn't be nearly so nervous if they were dangerous because that would be who she is," Sarah said, "The problem is that I feel really safe around her and I don't know why. It's a warm feeling I'm getting and somehow I know that I would never be in danger around her."
Lizzie looked thoughtful for a moment. Sarah had already proven to have a strong intuition about things and she wondered if she was right in this as well, "Do you want to try to get a little closer?"
"I've been very close to her already," Sarah said drily, "She walked past me and I felt her skirts brush me but I wouldn't mind going closer."
This isn't a good idea!
'I know but I'm curious.'
You've already admitted that your curiosity has gotten you into more trouble than is healthy.
'Oh come on! Where's your sense of adventure?'
Somewhere safe.
'And you were the one encouraging me to take on Isabelle.'
There wasn't the chance that she'd turn you into a living frozen statue.
'I'll be careful.'
You do that.
Lizzie nodded and they began to casually make their way around the room to where Mab was standing at the food table. Sarah noticed that Titania seemed to be crying and she felt a twinge for her but quickly squashed it. This was partially her fault and if she didn't like what she was hearing then tough.
Ah. There's the cruelty I know.
'I have nothing to say to that.'
Of course not.
Sarah stiffened as they got closer and closer to the Winter Queen. When Mab had entered the room, the temperature had dropped quite a bit, regardless of how many people were in the room and the fact that Titania was there, but it was much colder the closer one actually got to her. Sarah's dress wasn't exactly meant for the cold and she shivered a little before getting used to the temperature. She'd always liked the cold over the heat so being this close to Mab didn't bother her that much. Lizzie, on the other, had started shivering and her teeth were chattering but she refused to leave Sarah on her own. As the two got closer, they saw Mab was deep in conversation with Lord Dagon, the dragon looking a little sullen at the temperature but he was still smoking as much as ever, his pipe working furiously to channel the smoke away, and holding what seemed to be a heated, and lively, debate.
The two friends got close enough to have them in their line of vision but far enough away that they couldn't be accused of eavesdropping. No clear words reached the two so all they could hear was the vague sound of their voices that managed to make it through the other noise to their ears. Sarah couldn't seem to shake the sense of déjà vu she kept getting every time a snatch of Mab's voice reached her. She was getting frustrated and turned to Lizzie to say forget it as she didn't want to risk getting her in trouble by going closer, when Mab threw her head back and laughed. Sarah froze as a thousand memories crashed down on her that featured that laugh and she watched as the world seemed to slow around her as Mab turned. A side view, a quarter view, a half view, three quarters, and a full view of the Winter Queen as Mab looked around.
'It can't be! It's not possible.'
Sarah! What are you doing? Stop!
Sarah froze as she realized she'd taken a lurching step forward.
Find a room! Now! Break down there but don't you dare collapse in here!
'But…'
No! Move it. You'll just cause problems for both of you.
Sarah noticed Dagon was looking at her a little worriedly but she straightened and smiled at him before turning to Lizzie. Her friend was watching her in much the same way as Dagon was and Sarah knew that Rin was right. She could break down later but right now they needed a room she could do that in.
'Don't tell Jareth.'
"Can we go to a room where we can talk?" Sarah asked urgently; quietly, "I know why she seems familiar now."
Lizzie took one look at Sarah's bleak look and nodded quickly before putting an arm around her and leading her to the same door she'd gone through with Soren and Titania earlier.
"What's wrong?" Soren asked urgently.
"She'll let me know when we get through there," She said indicating the door, "And then, depending on what it is, I'll let you know."
"No, he can come in," Sarah said quickly.
Lizzie just nodded and then they were through the door, shutting out the outside. Sarah didn't even notice what the room looked like as she sank onto the couch and put her head in her hands. Soren watched as she began to mutter to herself under her breath and he noticed that tears were rolling down her face; he'd never felt as helpless as he did right now except for the time when Jareth had come back after seeing Sarah that last time. Lizzie wanted to go hold her friend but felt that it was probably better if she left her alone for the moment.
Are you sure?
'Positive. What do I do?'
I don't know but maybe you should start with talking to Soren and Lizzie.
Sarah looked up to find her friends watching her with helpless looks on their faces and she wondered where to begin. Staring at the beginning was probably best, "Twenty-five years and a handful of months ago, I was born to Robert and Linda Williams. Shortly after I turned ten, my mother left us to pursue an acting career without us but she kept in touch when she remembered to. A couple years later my dad remarried to Karen and a little over a year before I turned fifteen, when I wished Toby away, he was born."
"I was a brat and I was bitter at the fact that my mother had left and my father hadn't thought enough of her to wait longer to remarry. I thought he was abandoning me like Mama did. Toby was the last straw. However, after the Labyrinth, I learned that life isn't always fair and that I actually had a good life. I took nothing for granted after that, I never wished for anything but worked for it, and I tried to get along with my stepmom and brother better. As a result I have a wonderful relationship with my brother and though Karen will never replace my mom, she's like a second one to me and we're good friends now."
"Fast forward to four years ago when my dad gets a call from the police somewhere in upstate New York. I got home that day to find him and Karen in the living room and Toby sitting on the steps looking really upset. My dad called me into the room and proceeded to tell me that my mother was dead from a bad car accident. A drunk driver had hit her head on in a Ford F150 while she was driving her Mini Coop. They said she had died instantly."
Lizzie and Soren were staring at her in shock but they didn't interrupt. Neither did Rin, who was listening just as closely, as she tried to find a way for Sarah to get the Winter Queen's attention without causing an incident. She had a suspicion that Sarah was going to have to summon her to her and Rin knew the perfect place within her corridors that she could do that. The only problem would be avoiding Jareth.
"Fast forward again to tonight when the Winter Queen came in and I had this strange feeling that I knew her so I started trying to see her face to figure out why," Sarah put her head in her hands again, "She's my mom!" She sobbed out, "She's alive and she's the Winter Queen and she's a Sidhe which means I'm half Sidhe and I want to go see her so badly but I can't and-"
"Sarah!" Lizzie said quickly. Soren's mouth was opening and closing as he tried to find something to say, "Are you sure?"
Sarah nodded miserably, "I knew as soon as I heard her laugh."
"Well, ah," Soren said as he looked at Lizzie but then the ridiculousness of the situation hit him and he started to laugh. The two women stared at him incredulously. Was he really laughing?
Ignore him. Rin sniffed. I have a plan but we'll have to do this carefully so Jareth doesn't catch wind of it.
Lizzie jerked and Soren stopped laughing.
Yes, you can hear me and yes I am who you think I am but right now is not the time to be looking like that. Sarah, you're going to have to call Mab to you if you really want to talk to her. I know of a place where you can do that but you'll have to wait until tomorrow.
"If it means seeing my mother again after thinking she was dead for four years I'm all for it," Sarah said.
We'll need their help of course.
"Of course."
The three listened to Rin's plan with a bit of trepidation.
"We are going to get in sooooooo much trouble aren't we?"
Probably.
Sarah sat in front on the easel in her rooms at Jareth's castle, putting the finishing touches on the painting. They'd gotten back in the wee hours of the morning and as soon as she was in her night clothes Sarah had jumped into bed and promptly fallen asleep. Unfortunately, her nerves got the better of her and woke her after only four scant hours. Sarah hadn't bothered trying to go back to sleep; instead she began to finish up the painting as she tried to keep her nervousness to a minimum.
The plan was for Sarah to wait until Soren and Lizzie had gone to Jareth's chambers to do their tradition of opening gifts before she called the Winter Queen. If Jareth were to insist that Sarah join them they were to say Lizzie stopped by her room and Sarah was still asleep so they didn't want to wake her. The two just wouldn't tell him that they had gotten her up so she could do what she needed. They were to keep him there with them as long as they could in order to give her time to complete her wish without him interfering. Rin had thought it best that they not inform him until they were absolutely sure that Mab was indeed Linda Williams. Sarah had asked Jareth the night before if there was a way to imprint a memory into a crystal and project the memory onto a wall; he'd promptly produced several. He told her that all she had to do was cup it in her hands and think of what she wanted the crystal to show.
Sarah had used all but one to imprint what she remembered of the ball. In the last one she'd imprinted a memory from her childhood into and it now sat on the small table that held her paints beside her. She would pause every now and then to stare at it before going back to the painting. Sarah finished the last little bit and put her brush down before she stepped back to take in the whole effect. She blushed at how intimate it was but she grabbed a bow from the table and fixed it to the top right corner. Sarah was thankful she'd thought to use watercolors this time as they would dry faster.
She then moved over to a desk that she hadn't noticed the day before until after they'd gotten back from the ball. Sarah had found several different Christmas cards there and she'd promptly written a short one to Soren and Lizzie before affixing it to the chair the night before but she'd been too tired to even attempt writing Jareth's. She moved over to the desk now and sat down to begin writing it.
Dear Jareth,
I do not think I need to impress upon you the importance of uncovering this painting very carefully as it'll still be a little wet upon your receiving it. Do not be alarmed that this is somehow a goodbye as I am merely telling you what in the written word what I should probably tell you in person. No! Don't scowl at me! I told you this wasn't a goodbye but to reassure you I will write this next part and you can read it as many times as you need to to reassure yourself.
I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I. Love. You.
There. Read that over and over to content yourself until I am able to say it in person. I have something I must do this morning. It's nothing dangerous so stop scowling! Spend your time with your friends this morning and perhaps next year, after we are married, if I am not being too presumptuous, I can join all of you. Though, you haven't asked me yet and I will not give verbal consent until you do. And honestly, darling, I do love you, I do fear you, I will obey you in some things, but I don't want a slave and you really must try better with this next proposal as, and Lizzie agrees with me (Stop scowling and don't look at her like that), that last proposal was rather pathetic.
I give you my solemn word that I will be alive and well when you step through those doors to find me later today. Trust me.
Love,
Sarah
"Nip." She called softly after she finished the letter.
"Watcha need boss-Lady?" The little goblin asked.
Sarah threw a clean sheet over the painting, easel and all, before replying, "I want you to take this and that chair to Jareth's rooms and put them by the tree in his front rooms."
She affixed the card to the sheet before nodding at the little goblin and both easel and chair disappeared. Sarah sighed as she rubbed her eyes tiredly; glaring at the rising sun. She made her way back to her bed to grab some more sleep before Soren and Lizzie came to wake her up. What seemed like a pathetic length of time later, which was in reality two hours, she was awakened to a knock on her door. Sarah grunted as the door opened to reveal her friends. They cautiously made their way into the room as she sat up and looked at them.
"Time already?"
"We came a little early to help you get ready," Lizzie said quietly. They were all moving and speaking as if they were going to get caught any second; which was a distinct possibility. Sarah grunted again as she got up and padded to the bathroom to splash cold water on her face. Feeling more awake, she came back out to grab her brush and begin fixing it so that it didn't look like such a rat's nest. Lizzie picked out an outfit, similar to the ones Jareth wore, except more feminine appropriate, and without the gloves, in the colors copper and green. Sarah went back into the bathroom and changed before going back to her room for their approval.
"Very nice," Lizzie said in satisfaction and Soren nodded his agreement.
"You can lock the bathroom, right, Rin?"
Yes. He's starting to wake up so you two might want to get going.
"Wish me luck."
"I wish you luck," Soren said seriously.
Sarah giggled, "Hurry!"
Lizzie closed the door once they were out in the hall and Sarah sighed. Here goes nothing. Rin had wanted her to do this in the middle of the Labyrinth but Sarah said it was too risky because too many people would see her leaving. They might tell Jareth that she was leaving or stop her to talk to her and Rin had conceded that it wasn't possible for Sarah to get to the place Rin wanted her to in a timely manner without magic. She picked up the crystal and moved to the center of the room to face the wall opposite of the windows that she'd removed the tapestries from. Sarah knew the light wouldn't affect the picture on the wall as this was magic and not some pathetic human technology. Her hand tightened painfully around the orb in her hand as she waited for her cue.
Now.
"I wish the Winter Queen Mab would appear before me, right now!" Sarah cried quickly.
The effect was instantaneous. The temperature in her room plummeted while ice formed along the walls and floor. A cold wind howled through the room whipping the braid Sarah had put her hair into every which way and she thought, idly, that she should have pinned it to her head. Sarah shivered as the temperature dropped even further while thunder sounded though she could see that the light had not dimmed. Someone was pounding on her door and calling her name but the damage had already been done. Mab was coming.
"You know," A cold voice said behind her, "I would have thought you would have had the common decency to do this later since you were there just as late as I was last night."
Sarah tied to answer. Tried to find something to say and as she fought with her voice the silence stretched on and the pounding on her door grew louder.
He won't be kept out much longer.
'Then let him in.'
In a minute. You know you need to say something.
'I'm trying.'
"After summoning me here you have absolutely nothing to say? I believe you would be the Sarah that beat the Goblin King's Labyrinth a while back, correct?" Sarah flinched but Mab kept going as Sarah idly noticed the pounding on her door had stopped, "Go away Goblin King. This girl has summoned me and I will hear why before I decide what to do with her."
Jareth was watching Sarah as tears fell down her face. She clutched one of the spheres he'd given her in her hand for dear life. He knew that he couldn't interfere, as much as he wanted to, but Jareth had read her letter and trusted that she had some sort of plan. Little did he know that Sarah had had a plan but it was currently on its way towards a very painful landing after having been thrown from the window.
"Sarah?" He said quietly.
His voice jolted Sarah and she was finally able to move and speak but while she'd had all these questions and this big long speech, they were currently meeting the ground as well. Turning her hand so that Mab could see the crystal she began to improvise. Lizzie and Soren were standing behind Jareth where he'd moved through the door and they watched fearfully. Rin was also watching the proceedings but she was bound just as tightly as Jareth.
"Do you know what this is?" Sarah asked hollowly and Jareth jerked at her words.
"A crystal?" Mab sneered in disgust.
"Yes. A crystal. Nothing more but if you turn it this way it will show you your dreams…or your memories," As she finished speaking the crystal slipped from her hand to the floor where it rolled a little ways before playing the memory she'd imprinted into it.
"Hi Mom."
Sarah snuck into her parent's room and moved softly around the bed to where her mother lay. She was determined to catch her off guard this time and she moved as quietly as her six year old self could. However, it seemed that her mother was one step ahead of her again because the next thing she knew she was lifted, squealing, onto her mother's lap where she was tickled unmercifully. Sarah giggled as Linda leaned over and blew on her stomach before she placed her forehead against her daughter's. Her mother's nearly black eyes that were actually green sparkled lovingly down at her.
"What are you doing my munchkin?"
"It's Christmas," The six year old Sarah said excitedly.
"And it's six in the morning, sweat heart," Her father said as he rolled over to give her a kiss on her forehead.
"Yeah but Mama needs to come sing!"
"Now?" Her mother laughed.
"Now," Sarah confirmed.
Her parents looked at each other before smiling down at her.
"Alright," Linda said, "but you better run!"
Sarah squealed as she bolted for the door.
The memory skipped forward to later that morning
"City sidewalks busy sidewalks.
Dressed in holiday style
In the air
There's a feeling of Christmas
Children laughing
People passing
Meeting smile after smile
And on ev'ry street corner you'll hear
Silver bells silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring a ling hear them sing
Soon it will be Christmas day
Strings of street lights
Even stop
Blink a bright red and green
As the shoppers rush home with their treasures
Hear the snow crunch
See the kids bunch
This is Santa's big scene
And above all this bustle
You'll hear Silver bells, silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling, hear them sing
Soon it will be Christmas day"
Sarah sat on the bench beside her mother as she watched her play and sing. This was Linda's favorite song and Sarah had learned to love it just as much as her mother. Linda finished and turned to her daughter before grabbing her up and hugging her to her as she tickled her. Sarah's father sat on the couch and watched them with a contented smile on his face.
The memory went on to show them opening presents and Sarah's mother grabbing hold of her to pepper her with hugs and kisses every chance she got. Everyone in the room was entranced by the memories playing on the wall in front of them and no one noticed how the ice began to recede and the air around them got warmer. Once the last memory faded the crystal quietly rolled over to the table it had been sitting on early, jumped onto the surface, and was still. Jareth just stood frozen at the facts that had been shoved on him and he began to find the similarities between Sarah and Mab as he studied them; he wondered how he'd missed them before. Lizzie was crying as she watched her friend and Soren wrapped an arm around her.
"Sarah," A voice that none of them recognized said. They searched for the speaker and were shocked to realize it was Mab, "You're my Sarah."
Sarah turned and found that she was quite suddenly in her mother's embrace again after so many years and the questions she'd been unable to find earlier came flooding out.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she sobbed, "Why didn't you take me with you? Why did you let us think you didn't love us? Why did you let us think you were dead?"
"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I couldn't." Mab said brokenly.
"Couldn't or wouldn't."
"Couldn't."
"She's right, Precious," Jareth said quietly and the two women realized they had an audience. Sarah turned and looked at Jareth as he continued, "You were born in the Aboveground and, for all intents and purposes, you were human, regardless of who your mother was. Because of this, she couldn't tell you who you were or take you with her. Nor could she stay with you. I imagine she hadn't planned to stay as long as she did but she couldn't get away; whether she had a kingdom to run or not."
"I almost said the Winter Court be damned and stayed with you and your father," Mab agreed.
Sarah nodded her head as she laid it back on her mother's shoulder, "What happens now?"
"Well if I'd known sooner that you were my Sarah and that you had been to the Underground, I would have sought you out to tell you what you could expect in the years to come," Mab saw her daughter's confusion so began to elaborate, "You were exposed to magic, which, in turn, triggered your own and so over the years yours would come into being. This also means that you could freely come and go from the Underground and be told about your heritage as you had discovered the magic on your own. From what I've seen and heard, though, your abilities are much more progressed than they should be."
Sarah turned and glared at Jareth, "He gave me a peach while I was here."
"What!?"
I can see where you get it from now.
Jareth flinched and did his best to look innocent, "While this is a lovely conversation, I would very much like to thank Sarah for the wonderful gift she gave me."
Sarah blushed but she extricated herself from her mother and made her way over to a very mischievous looking Goblin King who swept her into his arms and gave her a lingering kiss. Mab looked a little put out but she decided to let them have their fun for the moment.
"I love you," Sarah whispered fervently.
Jareth smiled in utter bliss as he looked at her, "And I you."
He kissed her again but Mab was starting to get annoyed, as evidenced by the chill and cold wind that was coming on in the room, so he pulled back.
"And I'll work on that proposal, Precious."
Sarah just smiled and kissed him again.